Being Selfish Is Not Always A Bad Thing
by Waiting-for-a-mad-man-in-221b
Summary: Takes place a couple months after 3x10, Stef finds out about Brandon and Callie's relationship.


Brandon knows how selfish he can be. He's stubborn, and not afraid to say what he feels. Not afraid to make known what he wants. He's hurt a lot of people, most of all his parents. And he is sorry that he's caused them so much hurt, but he doesn't ever regret speaking from his heart.

He's hurt Callie too. That is his biggest regret. He's not as strong as her. He's not able to push the feelings he has for her to the side like she does so well for him. He's selfish every time he sneaks a peck on her cheek when they're alone; every time he lets his fingers graze the smooth flesh, left uncovered where her shirt ends and her pants begin. He's being selfish every time he tells her he loves her. Because it hurts her to know that they're eventually going to have to stop this charade. They're never going to be able to _really_ be together. Not if their moms have something to say about it. But Brandon think she deserves to know that she has someone that loves her like that, in all those little ways that mean the most to a person. He loves her like that, and he's pretty sure that he always will. And it kills him.

He's being selfish now, as they lay together on his bed. Her back pressed tightly to his front. His arms wrapping around hers, their fingers intertwined. It's nearing 5 am and she's fast asleep. But he's awake, savoring every minute that passes, every moment he gets to hold her. He texted her around 12, knowing she'd still be up, praying that Mariana wasn't. It was just one of those nights where he needed to hold her. Thankfully, it was also one of those nights where everything worked out.

The plan is to wake her up at 5:30, so she can sneak back into her room, but he'll probably wait until 5:45, desperate for those extra minutes where they don't have to be "Brandon and Callie, brother and sister" but where they can be "Brandon and Callie, selfishly and unforgivingly in love."

He does wake her gently at 5:30, she turns around in his arms, her head coming to rest on his chest. He can't help the loving smile that spreads over his face. He doesn't think he'll ever getting used to waking up with her in his arms. He doesn't know if she falls back to sleep or not, but they don't speak again until it's nearly 6, content just to know that the other is so close.

"You gotta head back Cals, it's almost 6." She whines, snuggling closer to him. He laughs softly, tucking his chin over her head, resigning to letting them have a few more moments together. He closes his eyes, and then he just forgets to open them.

He barely has time to register the sound of his door creaking, before his eyes shoot open. He prays to a god that he's never even believed in that it's Callie, sneaking back to her room, but he knows it's not. He would know the weight in his arms anywhere, even in a moment of half asleep panic, he knows that she's still there with him, hands resting on his bare chest.

"Mom, don-"

"You're gonna be late for school, B, let's-" She stops, halfway across the threshold.

He hates that look. The one he saw the first time they found out about Callie, and when he told them about Dani, the one he saw when he told them about the money, the look he's seen far too much. Because again, he's selfish, and there is a certain way people look at you when you're as selfish as Brandon.

Callie stirs in his arms. It's like she could sense trouble in her sleep, which she probably could, you'd have to be able to, to survive as many foster homes as she did. She doesn't wake up with her usual smile, she pulls back from his chest with a frown already screwed onto her face. His expression must not reassure her that things are ok either, cause she's instantly turning around, blanket pulled tightly around her bare chest, she supports herself on one elbow, praying that it's not who she thinks it is at the door.

When Stef speaks again it's a lot calmer than anyone would have expected, "I want you both downstairs in 5 minutes. This is going to be resolved today," she turns tersely, reaching behind her to shut the door.

"What about school?" Callie calls after her.

"You're gonna be late."

Both of their moms are waiting for them when they reach the bottom of the stairs, their hands clasped together; they've been found out so why should they hide now? They sit across from them, their joint hands, coming to rest atop of Callie's arm rest.

Stef motions at them, "care to explain?" She prompts, sitting further forward in her chair.

"We love each other," is all Brandon retorts with, because it should be all that matters. It shouldn't be this big ground breaking thing that has to be talked about and dissected, it should just be. But of course, nothing in the Adams Foster house can ever be left just to be.

"Brandon, we've been through this, you guys can't be together! You're brother and sister for Christ sakes!"

"We are not!" He erupts, standing abruptly, but his fingers still grasping tightly to hers. "We're not brother and sister ok? Legally? Maybe, but we will never be true siblings. Our feelings get in the way of that."

"But honey, don't you think it's just a bit weird to have a romantic relationship with your adopted sister?" Lena asks, her tone kinder, more understanding than Stef's, but laced with the same judgment.

"How can love be wrong? We didn't grow up together! We're not blood relatives! If I'd met her under different circumstances there'd be no issue, so why does it matter so much?"

"Because it does baby," Stef says, softening slightly, seeing how worked up Brandon is, "because you guys met under these circumstances, which just don't allow the kind of relationship that you have, or wish to have."

"It's not even illegal." Callie adds quietly, squeezing Brandon's hand. He looks back at her, mouth floundering open and closed trying to find the words. It's such a Brandon face, Callie can't help but shoot him an adoring look. They're in so much trouble, but even with their moms seething just a few feet from them, she doesn't feel afraid. Any other emotion she could be feeling is flooded out by all the love she feels for him.

"Wha-what?"

"I've learned a lot from Fost and Found," Callie says, standing up, looking straight at the two women who she now calls her moms. "It's not illegal for adopted siblings to be in a relationship in the state of California. It's not even illegal for them to get married! So honestly what's so wrong about this?"

"Callie," Lena sighs, looking towards her wife, trying to understand what's going through that mysterious mind of Stef's. Because Lena honestly doesn't see much of anything wrong with them being together, besides the obvious that they live under the same roof and that gives them far too many opportunities to get into the sort of trouble that only couples can. Other than that? Callie and Brandon are good kids, they wouldn't risk this relationship if they weren't 100% sure of their feelings for each other.

"It's just," Stef looks up at the two of them, their clasped hands, the set of their jaws, brows furrowed with worry that everything they have sacrificed, and everything they have lied about and risked to get to this point was for nothing. "It's just... I just don't think it's right," she says finally, diverting her eyes, not wanting to see what she's sure will be matches expressions of pain on her children's faces. "You're brother and sister," she adds, still glancing down.

"Stop calling us that!"

"Why Brandon? Because you know it's true?" Stef fires back rising from her seat, finally looking her son in the eye.

"No because- god! You of all people mom," he drops Callie's hand in order to grabs the sides of his head in frustration. "You out of all people should know what it feels like to have people tell you that your relationship is not right!"

"That is not the same, Brandon!"

"Isn't it? Isn't all love the same? Isn't that what you two have been fighting for your entire lives?" His face is bright red, and he's pretty sure he's spitting from anger but he could care less. He needs his mother to understand. She has to understand. Or else he doesn't know what he'll do. He can't stay in this house with her and play brother and sister, that's what would feel wrong. He needs to really make her see. "Do you want us to resent you like you resented Grandpa? Do you want that? Because that's the path we're heading down right now."

"Brandon," Callie pulls him a step back by the arm. Dragging him closer to her, it immediately begins to calm him.

Stef takes small steps back from them, slowly lowering herself next to her wife. She looks at her then. Lena. The women she loves so much, the women she would, and has done everything in her power to protect.

When she looks back at Brandon, Callie is wiping the tears that have collected on his cheeks. He's gone too far and he knows it, she sees how angry he is, not just with her, but with himself too.

Lena reaches over to slot their fingers together, pulling Stef's hand to her mouth and placing a firm kiss on her knuckles. Just a small way to show her that she's here for her. Across the room she sees Callie stroking her fingers through Brandon's hair as he curls closer and closer to her, his tears still flowing. Probably her own way of showing him that's she's there for him.

She turns to Lena, where they proceed to have a silent conversation. She knows Lena's stance, and when she knows hers too she pipes up.

"I get it," she says after several minutes of listening to Callie and Brandon mumble quiet reassurances to one another. Their grips on each other getting tighter and tighter as the seconds tick by. "I get that this isn't just a fling. And I- I get that us telling you that your relationship is wrong is hypocritical and I am sorry," she says on an exhale.

Brandon and Callie's heads both shoot up at Stef's apology, and what seems like her approval. Hints of smiles appear through their tears, as they look between each other and their moms anxiously.

"So are we-are you guys-"

"There will be rules," Stef adds, Lena nodding along in agreement, "and I'm not very happy that you've hidden this from us. But since there is no risk of Callie being removed from the house now, I guess we can't really forbid a relationship between you two."

"Thank you," Brandon says, pulling away from Callie slightly still connected by the hand, but no longer in desperate need for contact knowing that today wasn't the end of them. That there didn't ever have to be an end to them if they didn't want there to be. "Thank you for finally understanding. And mom, I'm really sorry about bringing up grandpa and everything, that was a low blow."

"I know honey. Now um, why don't you two get get your backpacks, muma will drive you into school." The both nod, hurrying up the stairs. Instead of separating they run right into Brandon's room.

They fall into each other immediately. Callie's hands carding through his hair as their lips meet. But it's not their usual frantic kiss. It's slow. Lips sliding, separating and coming back together with none of the crushing, teeth cracking desperation that they usually feel. For once they're in control. For once they can slow down and savor, knowing that their time together has no limit. For once Brandon doesn't feel selfish. He just feels happy.

"I love you," Callie breaths against his lips, punctuating her statement with a kiss.

Brandon pulls back, his green eyes searching out her brown ones, finding the same happiness and love he feels mirrored in her irises. "I love you too," he kisses the top of her head, pulling her flush to his chest. They stay right there, content just holding each other until Lena calls for them.


End file.
